William h



'gaitas tstrs zsteat @frn Lam-.g Pansa no. 74,991, @ma ana-@1L s, 186s.

IMPROVEMENT IN POTATO-DIGGES.

dlp' Stlphule tuant it ia tins @letters "atent nut mating artt at tipsame,

TO ALLVHOH IT MAY GONCERN: l l

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Cnnunnnmx, of Medina, in the county ofOrleans, and State ,of New York, have invented a new and improvedvPotato-Digger -and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the same, ref. crenee being had te theaccompanying drawings, forming part et' this specication. I

Figure-1 is a vertical section of my improved potato-digger, talcrnthrough the line a: zc, lig. 2.

Figure 2 is a top or plan view ofthe same.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view ofthe same, taken through the line yy, g. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved potato-digger,simple in construction, easily adjusted, and effective in operation; andVit'consists in theconstruction and combination of the various parts, ashereafter more fully described.V p A i A is the axle of the machine,which revolves in-bcarings in the frame B, and to which one cr both thedrive-wheels C are rigidly attached, so th`at the said axle may herevolved by the advance of the machine...

The faces of the wheels C are corrugated tc enable them to take'a surerhold upon the ground, and ,to prevent them from slipping. To the axle A,near one or both its ends, is attached a gear-wheel, D, the teeth ofwhich mesh into the teeth of the gear-wheel E, attached to the shaft F,so that the said shaft may be revolved by the revolution ot' the axleA.v Upon the shaft F is placed a series of wheels, Gr, made .with threevprojecting curved prongs or arms g, said arms or prongs being made atsuch a curve that they may enter and pass through the ground endwse. Thepronged wheels Gare placed at such a distance apart that the potatoescannot pass between them, whilg the dirt that may be raiscdwith thepotatoes falls back upon the ground. The pronged wheels G are keptattheir positions upon the shaft F by washers or collars H placed uponsaid wheels Gr. The wheels G are secured upon the shaft F spirally, oreach succeeding wheel alittle in advance` ofthe preceding one, se thatsome of the prongs g may be Vin the ground at all times, givingsteadincss to the motion of said machine, and so that the potatoes mayroll down the inclined channels 'formed by the curves of the prongs g',`

and be deposited in a row at one side ofthe machine. I is't-he tongue,the cross-bar of which is secured to the axle A by the shaft-irons J, sothat the position of the frame B may be cha-nged'without changing theposition ofthe line of draught.' K is the drirers seat, which rests uponsupports L, part of which are attached tothe tongue l, and part 'rideupon the axle A, so that'the position of the drivers seat may not bechanged by changing the posit-ion ot` the frame B. M is a lever rigidlyattached to the frame B, and extending` up in such a posit-ion that Yitsupper end may be easily reached and operated by. the driver from hisscat. By means of the lever M the rear end of the frame B, and with itthe shaft F and -pronged wheels G, may he raised from the ground forconvenience in passing over obstructions, turning, or passing from placeto place. N is a catch lattached. to the cross-bar of the tongue in sucha position that whenthc rear part of the frame B is raised by the leverM, the said catch N may take hold of the said lever M and hold the saidframe suspended untilreleased by releasing the said lever from the saidcatch. The rear' end of the frame B, when the machine is in Workingposition, is supported upon the caster-wheel 0, 4as shown' in figs. 1and 2.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Fatentl. The wheels'G,formed with three, curved prongs g', and removably arranged upon theshaft F, substantially in the manner herein shown and described, and forthe purposes set forth.

2. Thecombination of the pronged wheels G, shaft F, frame B, gear-wheelsE and D, axle A, drive-Wheels C, and tongue I, with each other,substantially as hereimshon-'n and described, and for the purpose setforth 3. The combination of the tongue I, scat K, bars L J, lever M, andcatch N, with the frame Band axle A, all constructed, arranged, andoperating substantially as herein set forth for the purpose specified.

WM. H. GHAMBERLIM Witnesses:

S. TUCKER, J. GLYDE.

